Stuff you learned by videogaming attrition

[Skykid]

So I realised that through videogames I learned to recognise roman numerals.

I learned some Japanese phrases through King of Fighters when I was a kid, such as "Koku desu ka" "Gomenesai" "Shine"

And MGS4 taught me to cook a good egg.

[GaijinPunch]

I've learned:
-A whole shit load of Japanese. Not just in the games, but w/ the hobby in general (reading magazines and shit for far too long)
-That they basically add to my frustration, not take away from
-That they can in fact keep me off the streets, so they're not a bad hobby
-That they bring out the worst in most people
-That no industry is immune to GP's law of shit: "When enough consumers get involved, anything will suck shit"

[Despatche]

Most importantly, that few seem to care about games, and those who play them, as much as they show.

[brentsg]

I learned that if you have to pee a lot then it's best to avoid getting really good at games that don't end, like Pac-Man.

[neorichieb1971]

Online gaming - If you want the points hit them last not first
Trophies - Play the same level until your fingers bleed even though its pointless and totally unenjoyable
Progress - If you can't figure it out in 15 minutes, your shit at it.. Go and do something your good at
Murphy's law - Yes, it applies to gaming technology in this generation
Forums - Don't pick fights you cannot win
Shmups - If its a good shmup I dream about it. Weird but true.
Desire - Can't help but want the most expensive gaming material available.
Foreign - I have a fetish for any Japanese female teen dressed up as a capcom videogame character (Sakura my favourite)
Wild Card - I open up far too much in public about my thoughts about videogame fetishes.

Anyone for trumps?

[drauch]

I learned that I really hate reality and don't want to go outside. I think video games also have helped with my reaction time and general information with electronics.

[Specineff]

English. (Seriously.)

[KindGrind]

Videogames defimnitely made me want to learn English.

I also learned that the best way for you to look like a schizophrenic is to talk alone/curse in your living room playing an online game with a wireless headset. It took the g/f quite a while to get used to it.

Her: "What?"
Me:"Oh, I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to people in my game..."
Peeps in game: "What?"

[louisg]

C64 Commando's soundtrack made me want to write music for computers, not for natural instruments.

[ZOM]

Not everything by gaming itself, more by the hobby in general:

-Videogames were my English teacher - I know, not the best method to learn a language but hey, for a guy that never took any English classes the result is passable.
-Learned some basic understanding of the Japanese language (Hiragana, Katakana, some common Kanji and how they're used - which still doesn't help me a whole lot)
-Learned how to Solder and a lot more about electronics in general
-Learned a bit of C++ and ASM basics
-How to burn money
-People bitch too much
-I acknowledge GP's Law of Shit

[xris]

I'm pretty sure that allot of people kind of think about their lives this way once in awhile. It can be a great way to mentally trick yourself through boring tasks, or a crappy day at work. Just think of some of the dull stuff you've done in game to garnish results.
-How to manage a squad of low level coworkers.
-Resource management.
-If you are having trouble activating her quest, come back after you've leveled up.
-Your boss won't give you a raise every level.
-You can't modify the Luck Trait with Skill Points.
-Solo runs in bar dungeons are mostly likely to yield gorgons, not princesses.
-Repetitive tasks can yield high XP.
-Well rounded party members yield better quests.
-A group of sailors won't know where my father is.
-People are right to keep their doors locked.

edit: spell check

[Skykid]

I also acknowledge GP's law of shit, and learning to use soldering irons and do electronics tinkering.

I also blame video games for inadvertently triggering my attraction to Asian chicks.

I imagine, looking back, it was: Try to ignore attractiveness of anime chick in game/game art (it's a cartoon ffs) -> Recognition of characteristics of anime girls in real life counterparts -> wanting to bang real life counterparts.

That and too many adolescent years spent in the arcade next to London's Chinatown, either way games are to blame.

[dunpeal2064]

I taught myself how to chicken type fairly quickly by playing WOW (I have kicked the habit since then)

I can type around 60 words a mintue just using this, and memorizing how to type different words individually. Its kind of strange, but it works well enough

[Jeneki]

Video games only taught me four words in Japanese: Yes, No, Load, and Save. The rest is filler.

Video games taught me to read and operate menus sideways without tilting my head or the remote.

On the other side of the fence, Real Life taught me that WASD is the worst control scheme in the history of video games. Why would I want to move my hand over a row every time I type? ESDF or nothing!

[Aguraki]

On the other side of the fence, Real Life taught me that WASD is the worst control scheme in the history of video games. Why would I want to move my hand over a row every time I type? ESDF or nothing!

I do believe WASD allows better access to shift/tab/ctrl/alt etc... and let your hand laying on the keyboard in a natural way

hence WASD>ESDF

[antares]

Most has been said already:

I learned more english from videogames than from school
learned to solder
got a basic know-how of how electric devices are working and how to repair them
learned katakana and to decipher japanese options menus
got interested in japanese culture in general, studied japanese for a while and travelled to Japan
also my wish to become a games developer made me visit an EDP school in my youth, learn programming and how computers are working

[emphatic]

Danmaku has taught me how to walk really quickly through any crowded area without bumping into those idiots who walk around in crowds looking at their watch/cellphone or looking anywhere but WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING. Yeah, I can dodge idiots now.

Also, soldering and electronics troubleshooting, lot's of silly expressions, such as "crywanking", "nerd rage", "rage quit".

[Jeneki]

Video games taught me to negotiate with authority:

"Yes officer, I know how fast I was going. There are too many speed ups on the road."

"No officer, I didn't credit feed the parking meter."

"Your honor, I thought he had another extend. Besides he needed to reduce rank."

(one more)

"I'm not drunk, I'm in Kakusei Zesshikai mode."

[ZOM]

"Your honor, I thought he had another extend. Besides he needed to reduce rank."

Good one.

[njiska]

- How to be critical on merit, not purely taste. Recognizing the difference between broken design and design that just isn't to my taste.
- How to start an addiction
- How to form relationships without a physical presence (a number of real life friends who I see often were people I originally met via Online Gaming/Forums)
- How to solder and some basic knowledge of hardware security (Bunnie's book Hacking the Xbox was awesome)
- Import legislation and working around the system (mostly how to get shit from Japan and Europe without an importer)
- Arcade monitor repair and the fundamentals of cabinet design
- How to make educated guesses (I know zero Japanese so i navigate menus with great success by picking up on design conventions)
- They taught me that people are basically morons.

- And the biggest:
I WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO EVERYTHING I WANT IN LIFE

[null1024]

Danmaku has taught me how to walk really quickly through any crowded area without bumping into those idiots who walk around in crowds looking at their watch/cellphone or looking anywhere but WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING. Yeah, I can dodge idiots now.

This, above all things.

And, I can now pick out between yes and no in Japanese games when they don't have English menus thanks to games [well, DOJ's PS2 port ].

Not entirely related, but from extremely heavy computer use, I learned to touch type. I had lessons in school and whatnot, but everyone [including myself] just looked at the keyboard instead of trying .

[dcharlie]

I played the ass out of the Israeli prime minister simulator "Conflict" on the Atari ST.

The view of the game shows the Middle East


now, i was sitting A-level General Studies (where you get to chose which questions to ask at different stages) and the big point question was pretty much the exact same map which you had to fill in with the various country names and capitals with some additional Middle Eastern political questions.

kaching.

God bless compuyta games.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

I learned that I was not a ninja even after playing Shinobi III, Wrath of the Black Manta, Ninja Crusaders, Kung Fu, Ninja Gaiden, Mystical Ninja (Starring Goemon) and Kung Fu Heroes. I did however, continue to act on that notion on the playground.

[caldwert]

I learned that if I play enough bullet hell shooters, my eyesight and focus increase greatly. I first realized it while playing soccer, and my ability to read the speed on crosses was much better, and also my positioning to figure out where the ball was taking flight to. That and general timing of connecting on the crosses. Quite weird, but true.

[Specineff]

I learned that I was not a ninja even after playing Shinobi III, Wrath of the Black Manta, Ninja Crusaders, Kung Fu, Ninja Gaiden, Mystical Ninja (Starring Goemon) and Kung Fu Heroes. I did however, continue to act on that notion on the playground.

LMAO.

In the same vein as DCharlie's post, I remember reading in Gamepro about a guy who mentioned passing a history test thanks to some things he learned from playing Pacific Theater of Operations.

[mesh control]

Nanomachines.

[ED-057]

This reminds me of the time I wrote a paper about medieval weaponry based on my experience playing Warcraft 2.

[ZOM]

Nanomachines.

They're evil.

[PROMETHEUS]

English. (Seriously.)

Me too ! Actually the place where I've learned like half of the English grammar I know is these very boards. Chatting in real time or writing in forums about games is a great great way to learn.

I learned that if I play enough bullet hell shooters, my eyesight and focus increase greatly. I first realized it while playing soccer, and my ability to read the speed on crosses was much better, and also my positioning to figure out where the ball was taking flight to. That and general timing of connecting on the crosses. Quite weird, but true.

Yup ! This was actually experimented and acknowledged scientifically (eyesight, shape and movement recogntion speed improves with video game practice. French articles on the subject : about eyesight and about brain remapping). I believe games can teach you a ton of different skills. It is very difficult to identify what difference they make in real life, because even large changes are very difficult to notice when they're gradual, but they really do make one.

I think getting better at games can improve things such as logic, memory, reflexes, sight, focus, control, awareness...

[DragonInstall]

shmups helped my peripheral vision

While fighters helped my reaction time and ability to play mind games. Stuff like "I know you know you think I'm going to do this, but since you know I'm going to do this I will do something else." lulz fighters are fun like that.